


It's Out of Love... You Know That

by Iamacarrot



Series: Protect Them AU [1]
Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Love, Neck Traps, dark themes, torture training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 12:03:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17467184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamacarrot/pseuds/Iamacarrot
Summary: Leonardo could only watch, as his baby brother was trained to be an emotionless, mindless weapon.





	It's Out of Love... You Know That

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I created an AU? I dunno.
> 
> Basically, in this universe, only Donnie, Leo, Mikey, April, Splinter, and the villains exist. Donnie has been driven to take control of his brothers, in order to protect them. Leo has no say in things, and Mikey is being trained to be stone cold. Splinter is nowhere to be found, and April has distanced herself from her animalistic friends.

"And you will not take this off, until you learn to behave like a _soldier_. Do you understand me?" Donatello growled lowly, looking at his baby brother with a stern expression.

"Hai." Mikey replied emotionlessly, grunting as he felt the pressure of the spikes prodding out of the neck trap put onto him, press into his skin.

"I don't get why you insist on making him like this. It isn't who he is." Leo muttered, leaning against a nearby wall.

"You  _dare_ question my authority?" Donatello hissed, pupils constricting as he looked to his immediate younger brother.

Leo smirked, shrugging before walking into the center of the lair. Things were strange, now. Master Splinter had disappeared one day, and had never returned. That day was three years ago. And Leo had no doubt in his mind that Donnie had a part to play in the rat's disappearance. The Slider knew that his elder brother did this in order to protect the two youngest, but it still made little to absolutely  _no sense_ as to why Donnie felt the need to  _torture_ Mikey in order to get the baby of the family to behave.

"You will be unable to tilt your head, put it down, or even maneuver it, without puncturing the skin. You will not be allowed to sleep until I say so, and if you even try, I will gladly let this contraption do the dirty work  _for me_." Donnie announced, stepping back and leaving Michelangelo in the exact spot he'd been led to. "Leon, front and center."

"Whatever you say,  _sir_." Leo replied coldly, stepping back in  _slight_ fear as Donnie pulled out a whip.

Which the Softshell knew how to use expertly. He had easily found the exact areas to hit when Mikey and Leo were serving misdemeanors.

"Do you understand  _why_ I am doing this to Michael?" Donnie asked nonchalantly.

"Because you hate him and want him gone?" Leo replied smugly, humming in surprise as he saw the rare flash of fear and guilt in his older brother's eyes.

"No, Leon. It is, in fact, the exact  _opposite_ of that..." Donnie sighed, "pocketing" his whip. "You know that I won't always be here to protect you two. I just want to make sure that you'll be ready to face the dangers of this  _wretched city_ , when I'm gone."

"Well, that fact is sweet, honestly,- in a dark sense of irony -but I still disapprove of you treating Mikey like this. He's only sixteen-"

"And we're only seventeen, but _we_ know enough to fend for ourselves in hard times. What do you expect Michael to do when he goes off on his own to scout, or fight, or even to simply wander?" Donnie argued.

Leon sighed, looking to the floor and crossing his arms. Sadly, Donatello had a point. Mikey wasn't as well trained and mentally prepared for the events that have been happening, lately, as his older brothers were. There was no rock in the family, and the trio could only get but so far with brains, jokes, and the occasional cuddle. The mystic types of the city had been getting stronger, meaner, and  _much_ more difficult to deal with. If Mikey didn't shape up, then he would be a fresh kill for any mutant looking for a good time.

"Which is what scares me about him..." Donnie whispered.

With an obscene chuckle, Leon looked to Donnie sadly. It was good to know that the two had the same mindset.

"I get that you want him to survive, but  _this_ ," Leo chimed, pointing to Mikey, who was starting to visibly get stressed and tired, "isn't the way to go about it."

"What else am I supposed to do?" Donnie asked.

"It's Mikey. He thrives off of love. Off of praise. Off of any type of positive reinforcement. Torturing him will only make him want to go against the rules more." Leo replied, placing a hesitant hand on Donnie's shoulder.

Donnie sighed, turning his head before pushing Leo's hand aside. What was being said about Mikey was true. The Box Turtle had improved his view of the world through torture, yes, but it was obvious that he was perceiving the world in a totally wrong way, now. Mikey, it seemed, was starting to forget about the goodness in the world.

So, Donnie walked over to his baby brother, unlocking the neck trap, and tossing it on the floor. Donnie pressed his forehead against Mikey's, sighing heavily.

"You know that I want you to be safe, don't you?" Donnie whispered.

Mikey gave no reply,  _fearing_ that this was a test, and that he'd be punished if he got too sappy.

"I know. I haven't really been myself lately, have I?" Donnie chimed, placing a reassuring kiss on Mikey's cheek.

This grabbed and held Michelangelo's complete attention. If this was a test, then Mikey was going to cherish it as much as possible. Very seldom did these moments from Donnie happen, but, when they did, it helped to remind Mikey that the Donnie he'd once known was still in there.

"I'm sorry for what I did. I just wanted to-"

"Don't apologize. There's no need." Donnie interrupted, hoisting his baby brother up. "You haven't slept in  _days_ , have you?"

"Almost a week." Mikey corrected.

"Hmm. That's my fault. Come on, we could all use some rest." Donnie announced, looking to Leo.

"Seriously? What about your whole "No sleeping, unless you want to get attacked unarmed" rule?" Leo joked, following Donnie into the dojo, which had been turned into a half bedroom.

"I installed an alert system. Any living and/or sentient being that gets too close, will be taken care of thusly." Donnie replied, lying himself and Mikey on the large, Eastern King sized mattress on the floor.

Leo climbed onto the mattress as well, pulling up the huge, warm blanket over the trio.

"Even April?" Mikey asked silently, tracing the dips in Donnie's plastron.

The two eldest brothers tensed for half a second, before sighing.

"I don't think April will be coming back, anytime soon, Miguel." Leo hummed, draping a hand over Mikey's body.

The youngest had ended up in the middle of the mattress, with Donnie on the inside, and Leo on the outside. Donatello followed Leonardo's lead, and grabbed a hold of Leo's arm. The Slider smiled, before getting comfortable and drifting off. Mikey did the same, softly snoring in no time. Donnie huffed.

April had left the brothers as soon as she'd found out how they were treating each other after Splinter's disappearance. She accused Donatello of being a mindless dictator, and had been chased off as a result. From that day on, April had ceased all contact with the brothers. It was hard, of course, considering how April was an important member of the family, as well as the team. Mikey had broken down when he found out about April's leave.

This was around two years ago.

And it seemed like the human was ready to turn in for more.

"Nice to see you too, human." Donnie chuckled darkly, a sneer on his face despite the action. "I appreciate you coming to visit, but it could have waited until later, couldn't it?"

Donatello sat up, making sure not to wake his sleeping brothers, and looking to April, who had a cold look on her face.

"Yes, we've missed you too. So, if there will be no more words," Donnie chimed, pulling out his staff, "get that fucking tranquilizer out of my face..."

**Author's Note:**

> You like?


End file.
